The Japanese government has rejected petitions from the Muslim community seeking the establishment of additional graveyards across the country, citing cultural and environmental concerns.
In today’s episode of DNA, Rahul Sinha, Managing Editor of Zee News, conducted a detailed analysis. During a parliamentary debate, MP Mizuho Umemura stated that Japan does not require extra cemeteries. She explained two main reasons for the decision: “Cremation is the Japanese tradition, and several communities have long opposed the establishment of cemeteries. Additionally, burials can contaminate underground water sources.”
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Currently, Japan has ten cemeteries designated for Muslims. However, the growing Muslim population, now approximately 350,000, has prompted demands for more burial spaces. In 2010, the Muslim population in Japan was 110,000, rising to 150,000 by 2015, a 36 per cent increase. By 2020, it reached 230,000, and it is expected to be around 350,000 by 2025. While Muslims constitute only 0.3 per cent of Japan’s total population, they are the fastest-growing minority community.
Japan’s population is predominantly Shinto and Buddhist, with 95 per cent of citizens observing cremation after death. Using this as a reference, government officials have opposed proposals for additional Muslim graveyards. An informal suggestion from authorities states that if a Muslim migrant dies in Japan, either their funeral can be conducted according to Japanese customs, or their body can be transported internationally at the family’s expense for burial in their home country. No official rules have yet been established.
Unlike in some Western countries, where debates around migrants are often linked to crime, the discussion in Japan centres primarily on land availability for cemeteries.
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